Controller

ABSTRACT

A controller  10  suitable for controlling a bath lift. The controller  10  includes a rechargeable unit  12  and a first protection unit  14  which measures the voltage and current provided by the rechargeable unit  12 . The first protection unit  14  prevents connection to the bath lift when the voltage of the rechargeable unit falls below a lower predetermined limit. A second protection unit  20  is also provided which measures the voltage from the rechargeable unit  12  and detects whether the voltage has fallen below an upper predetermined voltage, and if the voltage has dropped below this level downward movement of the bath lift is not permitted.

This invention concerns controllers, controllers for bath lifts, andalso bath lift assemblies.

Bath lifts are widely used to assist people getting in and out of baths.One type includes a flexible band which can extend across the top of abath from a roller mechanism and can be held taut allowing a person tosit thereon. The band can then be fed out of the mechanism allowing theperson to be lowered into the bath. The process can be reversed to raisea person out of the bath. The lift may be arranged such that when theband is extending across the top of the bath a small amount of power isconstantly applied to the mechanism to retain the band taut.

There are potential dangers in having mains powered electrical items inbathrooms, and a significant public resistance to having sucharrangements has built up.

According to the present invention there is provided a controller for abath lift which controller can be hand held by a user of the bath lift,the controller including one or more rechargeable electric cells,connection means permitting the controller to be selectively connectedto a bath lift to control same, or to a recharging unit to recharge theelectric cell or cells, the controller also including operating controlsselectively operable to cause the bath lift to raise or lower a person,the bath lift being powered by the electric cell or cells in thecontroller.

The connection means may include a lead which may extend to a connectorwhich can be selectively connected to the bath lift or to a rechargingunit for the electric cell or cells.

The connector may include first control protection means which monitorsthe voltage of the electric cells, and when it is detected that thevoltage falls below a first upper predetermined level the first controlprotection means prevents the bath lift from being lowered, whereby toprevent a person from becoming stuck in a bath because there is notsufficient power to lift them thereoutof.

The controller may include second control protection means whichmonitors the voltage of the electric cells, and when it is detected thatthe voltage falls below a second lower predetermined level, the secondcontrol means prevents the bath lift from being used at all, whereby toprevent the electric cells from being discharged so much that theycannot thereafter be fully recharged.

The first upper predetermined level may be between 24 and 23 V, and maybe between 24 and 23.5 V. The second lower predetermined level may bebetween 19 and 15 V and may be between 18 and 16 V.

The controller may be configured to provide two power sources to a bathlift, a first substantially constant power source, and a secondselectively controllable source. The first power source may operate thebath lift to retain a band of the bath lift taut when in the raisedposition. The second source may selectively raise or lower the bath liftin response to the operating controls.

The electric cell or cells may be in the form of lithium batteries.

The invention also provides a bath lift assembly, the assembly includinga bath lift and a controller according to any of the preceding sevenparagraphs.

The bath lift may be of the type with a flexible band which isselectively movable between a raised position with the band extendingtaut across the top of the bath, and a lowered position with the bandloose and extending down to substantially touch the bottom of a bathwhen a person is sitting on the band.

The bath lift may be arranged such that when the bath lift is on and theband is in the raised position, tension is applied to the band by thebath lift to retain the band taut.

The invention still further provides a controller for an electricallyoperated device, the controller including one or more rechargeableelectric cells, connection means permitting the controller to beselectively connected to the device or to a recharging unit to rechargethe electric cell or cells, the controller also including operatingcontrols selectively operable to cause at least two different operationsof the device, the controller including first protection control meanswhich monitors the voltage of the electric cell or cells, and when thevoltage falls below a first upper predetermined level the control meansprevents at least one operation of the device; the controller alsoincluding second protection control means which monitors the voltage ofthe electric cell or cells and when the voltage falls below a secondlower predetermined level, the second control means prevents any usageof the device.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a controller according to the invention;and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the controller of FIG. 1;

The drawings show a controller 10 suitable for controlling a bath liftof the type with a flexible band which can be retained taut across thetop of a bath for a person to sit on and can be fed out of a rollermechanism to allow the person to be lowered into the bath.

The controller includes a rechargeable unit 12 in the form of sevenlithium ion batteries. The rechargeable unit 12 connects to a firstprotection unit 14 which measures the voltage and current provided bythe rechargeable unit 12. The first protection unit 14 is configured toprevent connection of the rechargeable unit 12 to the bath lift 18 whenthe voltage of the rechargeable unit 12 falls below a lowerpredetermined limit, which in this instance is 17 V. The firstprotection unit connects to a connector 16 which can connect with arecharging unit 18 or a bath lift 18 as required.

The first protection unit 14 also connects to a second protection unit20 which monitors the voltage from the rechargeable unit 12 andparticularly detects whether the voltage of the rechargeable unit hasfallen below an upper predetermined voltage, which in this instance is23.75 V. The second protection unit 20 connects to a control unit 22which has up and down controls. The control unit 22 connects to theconnector 16.

FIG. 2 shows the controller 10 in the form of a waterproof body 24 whichlocates the units 12, 14 and 20. An electric lead 26 extends from thebody 14 to the connector 16 (not shown in FIG. 2). Up and down controlbuttons 28, 30 are provided which are manually operable by a person onthe bath lift 18. A warning light 32 is provided to indicate when thevoltage of the rechargeable unit 12 is low and thus recharging shouldtake place.

In use, the rechargeable unit 12 can be recharged by connecting theconnection 16 to the recharging unit 18 which can be mains powered andlocated away from a bathroom. The recharging unit 18 may indicate whenthe rechargeable unit 12 is fully charged. Once this is the case thecontroller 10 can be used to control a bath lift 18, with the connector16 connected to the bath lift 18.

The body 24 can be held by a person on the bath lift 18. If the bathlift 18 is in a raised position a person can sit on the band thereof.The voltage of the recharging unit 12 is measured by the firstprotection unit 14, and presuming the voltage is above 17 V the bathlift 18 can be operated. A constant electrical current is fed from theunit 14 through the connector 16 which is used to provide a small chargeto the bath lift to retain the band taut.

The first protection unit 14 also detects for any possible undercurrentand in the event that this is significant, will prevent operation of thebath lift 18. The first protection unit 14 also detects over voltagefrom the recharging unit 18, and if detected will disconnect therechargeable unit 12 therefrom to protect same.

The second protection unit 20 also monitors the voltage of therechargeable unit 12. If this is detected as being greater than 23.75 V,and the down button 30 is pushed, this will cause the bath lift 18 tooperate to feed out the band causing a person to be lowered into a bath.If however it is detected that the voltage has dropped below 23.75 V,the control unit 22 will not permit this downward movement, and thewarning light 32 will be lit.

Once a person wishes to get out of the bath, the up button 28 isdepressed causing the band to be wound into the bath lift, therebylifting the person out of the bath. Once the band is at its highestposition, a small amount of current will continue to be supplied to thebath lift such that tension is applied thereby to the band to retain ittaut, until the bath lift is switched on.

There is thus provided a controller for a bath lift which provides anumber of advantages. The controller provides the power for the bathlift but can be recharged away from the bath lift, thereby preventingthe requirement for mains power in a bathroom. The first protection unitprevents the rechargeable unit from being discharged so much such thatdamage will occur and full recharge will not be possible. The firstprotection unit also provides protection against overcharging andovercurrent discharges. The second protection unit prevents a personbecoming stuck in a bath, but allows the lift to operate such that aperson in a bath can be lifted thereoutof.

Whilst the invention has been described in terms of a controller for abath lift and also a bath lift assembly incorporating such a controller,it is be realised that such a controller could be used in a wide rangeof other operations to provide security against total discharge ofrechargeable units, and also to prevent an operation taking place when arechargeable unit is at a low level of charge.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scopeof the invention. For instance a different arrangement or type ofelectric cells could be used. Different controls could be provided.

Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention tothose features of the invention believed to be of particular importanceit should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respectof any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbeforereferred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particularemphasis has been placed thereon.

1. A controller for a bath lift which controller can be hand held by auser of the bath lift, the controller including one or more rechargeableelectric cells, connection means permitting the controller to beselectively connected to a bath lift to control same, or to a rechargingunit to recharge the electric cell or cells, the controller alsoincluding operating controls selectively operable to cause the bath liftto raise or lower a person, the bath lift being powered by the electriccell or cells in the controller.
 2. A controller according to claim 1,in which the connection means includes a lead which extends to aconnector which can be selectively connected to the bath lift or to arecharging unit for the electric cell or cells.
 3. A controlleraccording to claim 1, in which the connector includes first controlprotection means which monitors the voltage of the electric cells, andwhen it is detected that the voltage falls below a first upperpredetermined level the first control protection means prevents the bathlift from being lowered, whereby to prevent a person from becoming stuckin a bath because there is not sufficient power to lift them thereoutof.4. A controller according to claim 3, in which the controller includessecond control protection means which monitors the voltage of theelectric cells, and when it is detected that the voltage falls below asecond lower predetermined level, the second control means prevents thebath lift from being used at all, whereby to prevent the electric cellsfrom being discharged so much that they cannot thereafter be fullyrecharged.
 5. A controller according to claim 4, in which the secondlower predetermined level is between 19 and 15 V.
 6. A controlleraccording to claim 5, in which the second lower predetermined level isbetween 18 and 16 V.
 7. A controller according to claim 3, in which thefirst upper predetermined level is between 24 and 23 V
 8. A controlleraccording to any of claim 7, in which the first upper predeterminedlevel is between 24 and 23.5 V.
 9. A controller according to claim 1, inwhich the controller is configured to provide two power sources to abath lift, a first substantially constant power source, and a secondselectively controllable source.
 10. A controller according to claim 9,in which the first power source operates the bath lift to retain a bandof the bath lift taut when in the raised position.
 11. A controlleraccording to claim 9, in which the second source selectively raises orlowers the bath lift in response to the operating controls.
 12. Acontroller according to claim 1, in which the electric cell or cells isin the form of lithium batteries.
 13. A bath lift assembly, the assemblyincluding a bath lift and a controller according to claim
 1. 14. A bathlift according to claim 13, in which the bath lift is of the type with aflexible band which is selectively movable between a raised positionwith the band extending taut across the top of the bath, and a loweredposition with the band loose and extending down to substantially touchthe bottom of a bath when a person is sitting on the band.
 15. A bathlift according to claim 14, in which the bath lift is arranged such thatwhen the bath lift is on and the band is in the raised position, tensionis applied to the band by the bath lift to retain the band taut.
 16. Acontroller for an electrically operated device, the controller includingone or more rechargeable electric cells, connection means permitting thecontroller to be selectively connected to the device or to a rechargingunit to recharge the electric cell or cells, the controller alsoincluding operating controls selectively operable to cause at least twodifferent operations of the device, the controller including firstprotection control means which monitors the voltage of the electric cellor cells, and when the voltage falls below a first upper predeterminedlevel the control means prevents at least one operation of the device;the controller also including second protection control means whichmonitors the voltage of the electric cell or cells and when the voltagefalls below a second lower predetermined level, the second control meansprevents any usage of the device. 17-20. (canceled)